The third year-end assessment and sustainability planning workshop of Bohol Focused Community Assistance Scheme (Focas) 3 on June 25-26 which focused on “Sustainable Agriculture for Food Sufficiency and Economic Security”, catered to a formulation of grander plans ahead in the pursuit of food sufficiency through organic farming. The Focas 3 group conducted the two-day strategic planning at the regional office of the Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Training Institute at Cabawan District, Tagbilaran City. Designed to entice the proponents, partners, stakeholders and beneficiaries of PROFarmS project to keep intact and uphold the principles of organic agriculture and technology as a way of attaining food sufficiency and economic security, Focas 3 came up with a consolidated sustainability plan which recognizes the role of municipal local government units concerned, beneficiary people's organizations and other stakeholders as key to the sustainability of PROFarmS.

Dr. Carolyn May Daquio, DA-ATI center director and F3MC chair, commended the participants- -particularly the representatives of beneficiary people's organizations and project implementers- -for the generous effort they extended to the beneficiaries which resulted into a remarkable achievement. This achievement refers to the increase in income of organic farmers and rehabilitation of the eco-system. Dr. Daquio challenged the implementers to continue pouring their technical assistance to the beneficiaries, even beyond the project period. To be assured, she asked this to be defined and incorporated in their respective sustainability plan.

In presenting the accomplishments of Bohl Focas 3, the project secretariat coordinator- -Nilo Ampon- -cited that indeed organic farming can really solve the food crisis and can eradicate, if not just minimize, poverty in the countryside. He said it was worth noting how small farmers were able to increase farm production and income through organic farming. Jun Oliver of DA-ATI, being the main workshop facilitator, gave direction to the participants as to how to go about with the assessment and sustainability planning. In order to make it participatory and anchored on each municipality's agriculture development program, the participants were divided into four groups representing implementers, representatives of people's organizations and MLGUs of each project municipality and one group composed of advocacy, market and secretariat support.

The results of the performance assessment of the entire FOCAS were consolidated and used as reference in the sustainability planning which took place on the second day. In addition to the assessment and planning, the activity also included topics of gender and development initiatives at project sites. Portia Dacalos of Gender Resource Center-Region VII based in UP-Cebu, who is the GAD focal person for FOCAS 3, presented their group's assessment on gender and developments issues and concerns in PROFarmS areas.

It was noted that in the project, both men and women perform their respective roles in farm development and management based on a family set-up where it was projected that men and women have equal access to opportunities that the project provides. Prior to sustainability planning workshop, Dr. Daquio presented inputs on sustainability which become the key reference and guide in making a participatory and realistic planning which focused on Legislation, Organization, Finance, Technical Assistance, & GAD. Also observing the two -day event were PACAP-Visayas Manager Lissa Morales, PACAP-Bohol Officer May Blanco- -who gave an update on PACAP projects in the province, and Andrew Rowe of PACAP's managing contractor firm in Australia who familiarized himself with Focas 3 projects.

The sustainability planning just came in time that four of Focas 3 projects ended in June. Pacap considers it necessary to have a transition period of not less than a year to help prepare the farmer/PO beneficiaries, MLGUs and other stakeholders for another project season. According to Engr. Vicente Loquellano of BISAD's AdvANCE PROFarmS, the major key to the sustainability of organic farming initiatives is the strengthening of Bohol Organic Farmers' Alliance (BOFA) which will be a key player, side by side with BISAD, in the development of the province's agriculture sector through organic farming system. Loquellano also stressed that a legislative support which will be expressed through the province's adoption of Provincial Organic Agriculture Program and Framework (POAPF) will strengthen and enhance sustainability effort for organic agriculture. The Bohol Organic Agriculture Management Council has now scheduled the lobbying of POAPF at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.